Sterilizing drinking fountains



July 31, 1956 M. sAwcHuK STERILIZING DRINKING FOUNTAINS Filed March 2,1953 MICHAEL SAWCHUK. by: 4

United States Patent STERILIZING DRINKING FOUNTAINS Michael Sawchuk,Scarboro, Ontario, Canada Application March 2, 1953, Serial No. 339,568

6 Claims. (Cl. 21-102) This invention relates to sanitary drinkingfountains.

Drinking fountains employing a water fountain element or dischargenozzle in combination with a bowllike drainage basin have been used fora long period of time operated either intermittently by a controlthereon or continuously such that one desiring a drink may require toplace the mouth in close proximity to the fountain and in the path ofthe discharging flow of water. It has long been recognized that thisthirst quenching media promotes unsanitary conditions because often themouth of the drinker contacts the fountain element or discharge nozzlewhereas part of the flow of the water returns to the bowl for passage tothe drain. The exposed surfaces of these fountains are also contaminatedin other ways and as a result, they are often a cause of a spread ofcontamination and disease to users.

The present invention seeks to avoid these particular 'isadvantages byeffectively destroying germs in and around the vital affected areas ofdrinking fountains by the special construction of fountain operating inconjunction with a source of germ destroying media such as germicidallamps designed to direct ultra-violet light radiation to vital areasthereof.

The invention generally comprises a drinking fountain in the form of ahead having a water discharging fountain element or nozzle carriedthereby and adapted to discharge water exteriorly thereof, a source ofgerm destroying media carried in said head, and a means for moving saidnozzle relatively to said germ destroying media to cause said media toimpinge on said nozzle. Preferably the germ destroying media is in theform of a gaseous electric discharge lamp or series of lamps emittingultra-violet light radiation of 25-37 angstrom wave lengths, the rays ofwhich are caused to impinge upon the fountain element or nozzle.Preferably, also, the fountain element or nozzle is movable to be housedwithin the head when not in use so that its surface is impinged by thegerm destroying media emitted from the source. Al ternatively, however,germ destroying media may be carried movably in the housing and moved tooverlie the fountain element or nozzle to cause the media to impinge thelatter, so that in effect the fountain element or nozzle is movablerelatively to the source of germ destroying media.

The invention will be understood by reference to the followingspecification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view taken from one side of a drinkingfountain according to the present invention showing arrangement andlocation of the parts thereof.

Figure 2 is a perspective view taken more from the front of thefountain; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modification of thepresent invention.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a drinking fountain headaccording to the present invention which takes the form of a generallyhollow casing provided with a 2,756,476 Patented July 31 1956 "icedrainage basin 10 of generally conventional form and a drainage outlet11. In the form of construction illllS' trated, the head is providedwith an opening 12 through which a fountain element B may be caused toproject to discharge a jet of Water exteriorly of the head, draininginto the basin 10.

The fountain element may take the form of a sectorlike element rotatablymounted adjacent its apex on a suitable shaft in well known manner, andwhich by a suitable actuator 13 disposed on the outside of the head maybe swung through the opening 12 to expose the fountain elementexteriorly of the head, and conversely swung to encase the elementwithin the head. A spring element 15a may be employed if desirednormally to retain the fountain element within the head;

The fountain element is provided with a suitable water dischargingpassage 14 opening for discharge of water at a suitable point on thearcuate surface of this sectorlike element and likewise opening at theopposite end as at 15 on a surface of the element normally disposedwithin the head to connect with a suitable flexible hose 16 connected inturn with a valve fitting 17 mounted on a water supply conduit 18. Asuitable push-button valve actuator 19 may be included designed to becontacted by a suitable actuating finger 20 carried on the lower end ofthe fountain head and projecting beyond the pivotal axis of the fountainhead so that when the latter is swung outwardly to operative drinkingposition the finger 19 actuating the button 18 will cause water to flowand discharge in a jet from the fountain head.

Within the head A, l locate a source of germ destroying media, such thatwhen the fountain head is moved within the casing the germ killing mediawill impinge the surface thereof and eliminate any germs or bacteriathat may have accumulated thereon. Preferably the germ killing mediatakes the form of gaseous electric discharge lamps capable of emittingultra-violet light radiation of 25-37 angstrom wave lengths andpositioned with the head to cause said ultra-violet radiation to impingethe surface of the fountain head as well as the discharge or nozzleopening. These lamps, their socket and wiring therefor, are all wellknown and can be readily mounted and positioned for the purposesspecified so that they have merely been shown in the presentillustration diagrammatically. However, it will be obvious that bychoice of size of head and arrangement of lamps, these lamps can bepositioned within the casing to cause the rays emitted therefrom notonly to impinge the leading or arcuate surface of the fountain head butto impinge the side walls thereof as well. Consequently, it is obviousthat with a concentration of such rays on the fountain element when thelatter is disposed within the head, bacteria and germs which may haveaccumulated thereon while it was exposed exteriorly of the head, will bereadily eliminated to present a germ-free element when it is nextexposed for drinking purposes.

While the fountain element may constitute a movable element as abovedescribed, it will be obvious that the purposes of this invention maylikewise be accomplished when using a stationary fountain element andmoving the source of germ destroying media to cause said media toimpinge the stationary fountain element. Such a construction isillustrated in Figure 3, wherein the fountain. element or nozzle 21 isstationary disposed to discharge a jet of water exteriorly of the head Ainto the drainage: basin 10 and the source of germ destroying media suchas the germicidal lamps C are mounted suitably on a swingable hood 22forming part of the head suitably pivoted on the head as at 23, andwhich may be swung outwardly and downwardly through a suitable openingin the front of the head to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3exteriorly of the head when it encloses the 3;: stationamfountainelementzl. The hood may. take. the form illustrated, namely,sector-like side walls and an arcuate cover extending between thearcuate upper edges of:.these ;Walls,r.:with;;the. germdestroyinglmedia' source;-

being located' on'the interior-'surfaceof the cover and/or fountainelement 21. destroying media takeslthe'forrn of gaseous electricdischarge lamps emitting ultra-.violet light radiation placed in:circuit'bysuitable wiring 25 which may beiflexibly disposed readily topermit movement .of the hood toand, Alternatively, power supply-:1

from operating position; might be achieved. in very: well known mannerby makeand=breakcontact or byswitch'actuated in well known manner,similarly to the button 19 and finger 20 of Figure l, for control ofWaterdischarge, such devices, however, being sovwell known thatfor'thepurposes of simplicity of "illustration such an illustration hasnot been made.

In general, it will bemanifest that the invention mainly concerns ameans of moving a fountain element relatively to=a source of germdestroying media so thatwhen the fountain elementis'inactive, it will beimpinged by the germ destroying media. Furthermore, while the specificsource of germ destroying media proposedis ultraviolet ray radiation, itis clear that some other source of germ destroying media may be knownor'devised which could be I used practicably in the same manner.Obviously, therefore, any source of germ destroying media would beequally applicable to the principle of this invention.

It will be clear from the foregoing that through a simple combinationand construction, theinvention will operate to prevent in a largemeasure at least, the possible spread of germs and disease. Moreover, itshould beunderstood while -I' have shown preferred forms ofconstructionchanges may be made within the principle of theinvention. 1Thedisclos'ure, therefore, should not be subject to limitation otherthan those limitations imposed by theappended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A drinking'fountain comprising, a casing having 'an 4 within saidheadv mounted to. impinge on saidsnozzle when the latter is moved to aposition interiorly of said head.

2. A drinking fountain as claimed in claim 1 in which the germdestroying media comprises a gaseous electric discharge lamp emittingultraviolet light radiation disposed to project rays onto said nozzle.

3. A drinking fountain as claimed in claim 1 in which said fountainelement comprises, abody, said nozzle being mounted on one side of saidbody, aside of! said: body other than said latter mentioned sidebeingadapted to substantially close said opening"in"said head'wlien'said fountain element is moved tol dispose saidinozzle within said head.I

4. A drinking fountain'as claimed in'claim 1 in which said fountainelement comprises, a body, said nozzle being mounted on one side a sideof said body other than said latter mentioned side being adapted tosubstantially close said opening in said head when said fountainelementl'is moved to dispose. said nozzle within said head, said'g'ermdestroying media comprising a gaseous electric discharge.

lamp emitting ultra violet light radiation disposed to pro!ject'raysonto said nozzle;

5: A-drinking fountain as claimed in claim 1 in which: said fountainelement comprises a sector-like body, .saidbody being 1 pivotallymounted-adjacent its apex, said nozzle being mounted on the-side thereofopposed to the apex thereof, a side extending from said apex beingadapted to substantially. close said opening in said head when saidfountain element is moved to dispose said body being pivotally mountedadjacent its apex, saidnozzle being mounted on the side thereofopposedto the apex thereof, a side extending from said apex' being adapted tosubstantially close saidopening in said head when said fountain'elementis moved todispose'said nozzle within said head, said germ destroyingmedia comprising a gaseous electric discharge lamp emittingultravioletradiation disposed to project rays onto said nozzle;

References-Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,165,034 Stocking Dec. 21,1915 l,885,-252 Gaishman' Nov. 1, 1932'2,028,256 Stevens a Jan. 21, 1936 2,199,301 Bonnefoy Apr. 30,19402,623,367 Morrison Dec. 30, 1952 2,637,819 Mumma May'5, 1953

